Murray in, Serena Out on U.S. Hardcourts; ATP/WTA Previews

by Staff | August 1st, 2015, 1:55 pm
  • 12 Comments

The US Open Series is in play for both the men at Washington and the women at Stanford and Washington, with Top 10 players Andy Murray, Kei Nishikori, Marin Cilic, Caroline Wozniacki, Agnieszka Radwanska, and Carla Suarez Navarro in action.
ADHEREL
CITI OPEN
Washington, D.C.; Surface: hard

Men’s Seeds: Andy Murray, Kei Nishikori, Marin Cilic, Richard Gasquet, Kevin Anderson, Grigor Dimitrov, Feliciano Lopez, John Isner, Viktor Troicki, Ivo Karlovic, Bernard Tomic, Vasek Pospisil, Sam Querrey, Pablo Cuevas, Jack Sock, Leonardo Mayer

Men’s Floaters: (WC) Tommy Haas, Gilles Muller, Marcos Baghdatis, (WC) Lleyton Hewitt


Men’s Notes: Three Top 10ers in the field…All 16 seeds receive opening-round byes, but some potential interesting second-rounders with (12) Pospisil vs. (WC) Haas, (4) Gasquet vs. the hot-handed Muller, break-up boy (6) Dimitrov vs. the resurgent Baghdatis, and (7) Lopez vs. (WC) Hewitt on his retirement tour…Wildcards went to Haas, Hewitt, Chile’s Nicolas Jarry and streaking American Denis Kudla…Pulling from the event were Thanasi Kokkinakis, Adrian Mannarino and Janko Tipsarevic…the absent Milos Raonic beat Pospisil in the all-Canadian final last year…An American hasn’t won the title since 2007 (Andy Roddick), though three Americans have lost in finals since then…Alexandr Dolgopolov (2012) and Hewitt (2004) are the lone returning former champs in the field.

Women’s Seeds: Ekaterina Makarova, Samantha Stosur, Belinda Bencic, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Alize Cornet, Irina-Camelia Begu, Coco Vandeweghe, Zarina Diyas

Women’s Floaters: Madison Brengle, Heather Watson, Sloane Stephens, Lauren Davis, Kristina Mladenovic

Women’s Notes: No Top 10ers in the field and only one Top 20 player…American Sloane Stephens unseeded after her tough last 12 months…Potential tough starts for (6) Begu against the crowd-supported American Brengle, (8) Diyas likewise against the capable American Davis, and (2) Stosur vs. Mladenovic, who she’s needed three sets to beat in their last two meetings…Wildcards were awarded to Americans Louisa Chirico, former world No. 1 junior Taylor Townsend, and Vandeweghe…Notable pulls from the event were former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka, Sara Errani, Daniela Hantuchova, and Eugenie Bouchard…In last year’s final Kuznetsova beat Japan’s Kurumi Nara, who is also in this year’s field…Former champs in the field are Kuznetsova (2014) and Magdalena Rybarikova (2013-12).

BANK OF THE WEST CLASSIC
Stanford, Calif., USA; Surface: hard

Seeds: Caroline Wozniacki, Agnieszka Radwanska, Carla Suarez Navarro, Karolina Pliskova, Angelique Kerber, Andrea Petkovic, Madison Keys, Elina Svitolina

Floaters: Sabine Lisicki

Notes: World No. 1 and defending champ Serena Williams withdraws from the event citing arm pain…Not a real deep field for Stanford traditionally…Three Top 10ers in the field…The Top 4 seeds receive opening-round byes…Likely tough start for (4) Pliskova after a bye facing Lisicki…Wildcards were awarded to American and former world junior No. 1 Catherine Bellis, Radwanska, Wozniacki, and Canada’s Carol Zhao…Also pulling from the event were last year’s doubles winner Garbine Muguruza and Katerina Siniakova…Stanford is the oldest women-only pro tournament in the world and kicks off the US Open Series of events…No Venus (2-5 career in Stanford finals) in the field either…Serena beat Kerber in last year’s final…There are no former champs in the field.

GENERALI OPEN KITZBUHEL
Kitzbuhel, Austria; Surface: clay

Seeds: Dominic Thiem, Andreas Seppi, Fabio Fognini, Martin Klizan, Juan Monaco, Philipp Kohlschreiber, Jiri Vesely, Albert Ramos-Vinolas

Floaters: Joao Souza, Nicolas Almagro

Notes: No Top 20 players in the dirt field, which is led by Austria’s own hot-handed Thiem…Potential tough starts for (1) Thiem vs. the equally-hot-handed Souza, and (7) Vesely vs. the veteran Almagro…Wildcards went to Austrians Gerald Melzer, Jurgen “Tuna” Melzer, and Dennis Novak…Pulling from the tournament were Pablo Andujar, Guillermo “G-Lo” Garcia-Lopez, defending champ David Goffin, Gilles Simon, and Joao “The Other” Sousa…Goffin beat Thiem in last year’s final for his career-first title…Returning champs in the field are Robin Haase (2012-11) and Juan Monaco (2007).

 


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12 Comments for Murray in, Serena Out on U.S. Hardcourts; ATP/WTA Previews

Jock-KatH Says:

Ah I’m the first to comment (always wanted to be 1st at something!!).

Is Andy taking on too much, I wonder….(Maybe Stan as well?).


jalep Says:

Wa.DC draw looks like fun; we haven’t seen many of these guys for what seems to me, a long time.

Kitzbuhel. Not a bad draw either for a 250 but what are these guys still doing on clay? Come on.

WTA draws are a bit thin in both places. Guess I just have to wait another week for most of my favorites…


jane Says:

andy’s playing doubles with daniel nestor, wondrously successful canadian doubles player…


Margot Says:

@jane
He usually tries to play doubles in “lesser” tournaments. I think he thinks it helps him to acclimatise to the surface.
@Kat
I think it’s Andy’s stated aim to play more tournaments from now on.
Good for us fans :)


Jock-KatH Says:

Sure, Margo – but I worri about physical toll – thinking Andy is planning a wee campaign to get seeded 2 at US Open – maybe? maybe not? Ranking points could be very close (my evil mind possibly)!


sienna Says:

so Murray is playing his balls off like prior O2 last year. We know how thatturned out! 0 and 1 anyone remember?

he will be deadMeat come super saturday.

I know what happens in his semi against Federer.


Margot Says:

Kat I don’t think Andy can possibly get to No 2 be4 the USOpen. Be4 AO, now that’s a realisic goal. Yay!
My dear, you are “clucking” unnecessarily. Andy’s a big boy now….;) And has Jonas to take care of him in USA :)


Jock-KatH Says:

Oh Margot – but, but, but, he needs the female touch as Amelie ain’t there. Re. No. 2 be4 USO – it may not be probable but there is a remote chance….RF 9665 – 600 =9065 Less AM’s 7840 = 1225 for Fed. 3 Tournaments Washington, Montreal & Cincinnati before USO.


Margot Says:

Ho hum Kat……doesn’t the Mrs count?…..;)
Liking your optimism tho! But not going to stress myself thinking about.


Ian Says:

Jock & Margot … not sure about the arithmetic here but as I see it RF has 1600 pts to protect in Canada & Cinci while Andy has 360 pts to defend. That would make starting position of RF = 8065 and Andy = 7480. Any can also gain some ground next week but must reach the final as he has to better 250 or 210(?) to add to his best 6 other results. So, over next weeks Andy has to better RF by circa 600 pts. Not sure if he is playing Washington for points or his UA sponsor though? Go AM!!!


Jock-KatH Says:

Ian – RF has pulled out of Canada so he has already forfeited 600 pts by not playing….(not shown on the rankings list yet).

Don’t think Andy played Washington last year so unlikely to be because of sponsor….

I hate to agree with a Commentator (above) who likes to toss “turds” at Andy, but if you take away the intended nastiness, she has a point.

@ Margot – hope you haven’t got copyright on your WORD used in the Nadal-stream but I liked it so much I borrowed it.


Margot Says:

Lol Kat you can “borrow” it any time you like :) I think we should have a “turd alert” warning system operational on here at all times.
Meanwhile welcome to Ian, another AM supporter. :) Come on in the water’s usually OK…ish..and all turds will be turfed out forthwith.

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